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Why doesn't this loop end?

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Top Forums Shell Programming and Scripting Why doesn't this loop end?
# 1  
Old 05-17-2009
Why doesn't this loop end?
Simple script, takes an cmd line argument and counts down to 1.

Code:
NUMBER=$1
# One argument must be provided, otherwise don't execute
if [ $# != 1 ]
then
    echo "Error. Enter one argument "
    exit 0
elif [ $# == 1 ]
then
        echo " "
fi
# Integer value must be greater than zero
while [ $NUMBER > 0 ]
do
   echo "$NUMBER"
# If the value of the argument is greater than one, insert a comma after the integer
   if [ $NUMBER > 1 ]
   then
     echo ", "
fi
# Decrease the value of NUMBER by one with each iteration
NUMBER=$(($NUMBER - 1))
done
echo "$NUMBER"

two issues I am working, the first is that the loop does not end, it keeps counting down forever. The second problem, I don't want each # and , on a newline, I want them all on the same. I did this in PERL and it works fine, now I need to write it as a bash script having issues.
# 2  
Old 05-17-2009
while [ $NUMBER -gt 0 ]
numeric comparison.
# 3  
Old 05-17-2009
Quote:
Originally Posted by jim mcnamara
while [ $NUMBER -gt 0 ]
numeric comparison.
The output keeps running into negative integers forever, shouldn't the loop terminate once the condition of the variable becomes -le 0?
# 4  
Old 05-17-2009
Should work if you change the line as suggested by Jim.

Regards
# 5  
Old 05-17-2009
Quote:
Originally Posted by Franklin52
Should work if you change the line as suggested by Jim.

Regards

Hmmm, I thought '>' was the same a '-gt', but I made the change and it worked. I am still learning the in & outs of all of this, thanks.
# 6  
Old 05-17-2009
[ "$x" > "$y" ] is for comparing string variables not numbers.
# 7  
Old 05-17-2009
Quote:
Originally Posted by jim mcnamara
[ "$x" > "$y" ] is for comparing string variables not numbers.
It is just like
test "$x" > "$y"
so it means: create file $y and fill it with the output of the command test "$x".
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